NSCC Ivany Student Housing

Located on the Dartmouth waterfront at NSCC’s Ivany Campus, this Student Housing project responds to the growing need for affordable, inclusive, and sustainable student accommodation. Designed by FBM Architecture and construction managed by Bird Construction, the collaborative delivery model navigated tight site, budget, and schedule constraints to create a low-energy, fossil-fuel-free, PV-ready residence.

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Organized as three residential “houses” connected by transparent social spaces, the building offers studio and four-bedroom apartment-style units, including barrier-free configurations that give students with mobility, vision, or hearing challenges greater choice in how they live. Shared lounges, study areas, and gathering spaces foster belonging, wellness, and social connection.

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The waterfront setting shaped both the building form and its four-storey Graphic Concrete mural, while panoramic harbour views support biophilic design strategies. Designed to LEED Gold and Rick Hansen Foundation Gold standards, the residence achieves modelled energy use 41.8% below the reference building, a TEDI of 28 kWh/m²/year, 95.2% construction waste diversion, and 30.4% recycled content.